PUT A RING ON IT: Naeemah & Marcus Found Their Happily Ever After While Buying Art Supplies

Not every great love story is a sweeping romance; sometimes it's just boy meets girl and the rest of history.

Some couples are just made for each other. You know the ones: They’re into the same types of things, they have similar ideals and vibe on a level most of us only dream about.

Well, that’s Marcus and Naeemah Nicks. The couple, who wed back in October 2015, are about as perfect a match as many will ever see (they even share the same eating habits). You would expect that a love like this would have started with fireworks and an orchestra as soon as their eyes met, but nope. This couple had a pretty everyday beginning. The pair crossed paths outside of a Michael’s Arts & Crafts store one sunny afternoon.

“It’s not some type of classic. legendary tale. It actually couldn’t have been more of a regular, normal day,” said Marcus.

“I was on my way into Michael’s, and in the parking lot–lo and behold–before I even parked the car, I saw this beautiful, young-looking queen, strut across that parking lot,” said Marcus, who recalls ending a call with his mother to talk to Naeemah. “She looked so pleasant.” To be fair, Marcus was on his way to meet his future wife! We’re sure his mom has forgiven him by now.

Marcus hopped out of his car to spark up a conversation with Naeemah, and he got her number so that they could “engage in further conversation.”

From there, the pair started out as friends, but there was definitely chemistry there. As Naeemah remembers, “We would talk to each other a few times, and I had really nice conversations with him.” Things flowed naturally for them. This isn’t to say that their path to Happily Ever After was seamless. Naeemah recalls being super nervous the first time that Marcus came over to her place before they were officially a thing. Their first date was your standard dinner and a movie, if a little awkward. They were able to laugh about it, and it helped them to open up to each other a little more.

“He was so easy to talk to,” Naeemah said. Coming to know Marcus just gave her more and more reasons to love him, and she came to see him not just as a great man, but as a great life partner over time. “In the beginning of dating, everyone still has their mask on. After a year of dating you begin to know who that person is,” Naeemah explained. “The more I learned about him, the more I really, really appreciated, who he is.”

She added, “I saw him as so different. His spirit is so infectious, I was just like, ‘I think this is the person. I think this is my complement right here.’”

Naeemah and Marcus were very intentional about their relationship and made serious effort to keep the lines of communication open about all aspects of their life. That established a solid support system. They even made it a point to do pre-marital counseling before they got engaged.

“I think we were able to be our best and be at our ugliest amongst each other,” Marcus said, explaining how he knew that Naeemah was The One. “That on top of the counseling, touched all of our bases…really letting the process take its course. We didn’t just jump into it.”

He really appreciated how she supported his personal mission of educating his community.

“I know that Naeemah complements me. I complement her,” Marcus said before going down a list of all the things he loves about her. Among the qualities that really captured his heart were her kindness, her intelligence and her beauty. “With Naeemah, it went beyond just the surface.”

After about five years together, Marcus had a Memorial Day Weekend surprise for his love as he cooked a very special breakfast. We’re talking roses on the table, her favorite breakfast treats and some soft music just to set the mood.

Naeemah was caught a little off guard by the setup, and Marcus was giddy to ask for her hand in marriage. “I was like, ‘Ooh, she don’t even see what I’m about to hit her with,’” Marcus said with a laugh, adding that he loved her reaction after saying yes.”Her reaction was priceless. She was silent! I put the ring on the finger, and she looked at it. From there I sat in the chair, and she got up from her chair. She circled around the living room, admiring it.”

By now, of course you should know that Marcus made sure to honor tradition before he popped the question. He mused, “What really, really made it special for her, was the fact that I had already talked to her mother and father before I even proposed.

Fittingly, their wedding day back in October was also perfectly them. The intimate affair was held in a Baltimore cultural center, where their union was heralded by an African Drum Troupe. The groom, dressed in a gold-colored tux, beamed as his bride walked down in the aisle to Stevie Wonder in a gilded wedding gown and a glossy twist out. The affair was beautiful and truly befitting celebration of their love. We can only imagine the years of love and joy ahead of Naeemah and Marcus.

We know that there are tons more great love stories out there just waiting to be told, and HelloBeautiful.com would love to share them. If you (or anyone you know) would be a good fit for Put A Ring On It, hit us up at contacthellobeautiful@gmail.com.